Parliament moves to establish code of conduct, ethics for MPs
Parliament, through its Legal Affairs Committee, has taken a step closer to formulating a code of conduct and ethics for legislators.
This follows a call by Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara during the previous parliamentary sitting.
The proposed code of conduct and ethics aims to ensure that any allegations made by legislators while addressing the House are backed by evidence. Failure to provide such evidence could result in disciplinary action.
According to the committee’s chairperson, Albert Mbawala, although standards of conduct for MPs are enshrined in various legal instruments, it is essential to have a dedicated document outlining clear protocols for legislators.
He noted that the parliamentary secretariat has been holding a series of meetings with relevant committees and stakeholders to gather input for the formulation of the document.
Mbawala further observed that existing legal instruments guiding legislators lack adequate deterrents, hence the need for a formalized code.
“The House is governed by its own standing orders, which require parliamentarians to provide evidence when making allegations. However, these orders do not specify what happens if an MP fails to do so,” Mbawala said.
“This has been particularly unfair to individuals who are not members of the House and cannot defend themselves against unverified claims,” he added.
Recently, legislators from both sides of the House have made various allegations against each other and external individuals without substantiating their claims, prompting the Speaker or her deputies to issue verbal cautions.
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